Rocks and Anchors

I grew up in a house always full of people: My mom, dad, brother, sister and my maternal grandparents (who lived with me under the same roof until I jumped ship and moved to Hawaii in 2009). My house growing up was like the Motel 6 — The lights were always on.

At any given time of the day or night, there could be at least seven to 10 people in my house, a mix of family and friends. I’ve never been a lone. Even in college I had either two or three other roommates. I have always been surrounded by family and friends until we moved to Hawaii in 2009. It was the weirdest feeling, just being the two of us. It was refreshing at first and I told my parents I couldn’t wait to be on my own and living in paradise.

Whelp I thought I was ready, but the novelty of playing house for real wore off and I missed having my noisy, nosey family around. Spending Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years with just us two was in stark contrast to the circus I was used to. Something was missing: friends.

When I look back at my first birthday, Hawaiian style, I did share it with a few friends. However, as awful as this sounds, they were my forced friends. I wanted friends so bad I clung to anyone who wanted to hang out, no matter how old they were…

Once I landed a job and found my footing, going to work was therapeutic (well it used to be), because I had people to conversate with and I felt productive at the end of the day. My work became a double bonus because the people I worked with were around my age. Back in CT, I was the youngest person in my office.

Now I feel like my old self again. I finally met people my own age and in my same situation. I call them my rocks, because we are at the same place in our lives, enjoy doing the same things and relate on so many levels.

My two besties =) I don't know what I would do without 'em

Then I have my anchors — only a few years older, but all the wiser. They have been on this military journey longer than I have, and they have a lot of advise and wisdom to share. They have been there, done that and they are who I turn to when I need advise or have questions.

If I have learned one thing during my Army-Wife adventure, it’s that the friends you meet become your family; your salvation and they help you keep your sanity. Without these girls, Hawaii wouldn’t be the same. I wouldn’t be the same.